MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) recently inks a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with farmers’ cooperatives, associations (FCAs) and local government units (LGUs) from the provinces of Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon for the implementation of the P25.5 million (M) worth of Kadiwa Financial Grant Assistance program

The signing ceremony was held at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex (NMACLRC) in Brgy. Dalwangan.

According to DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, the said program aims to help facilitate food accessibility, quality, and affordability to consumers through partnerships with LGUs and FCAs and improve the food distribution system at the same time.

Collado, together with Mayor Anthony A. Uy og Impasugong and Mayor Ernie R. Devibar of Lantapan, signed the agreement for the PhP5 million construction of trading posts in their respective localities in the presence of their municipal staff.

The agri Department also sealed a partnership with the Mindanao Farmers Agrarian Reform Community Cooperative (MFARCC) of Magsaysay, and Kabangasan, Mapua Dahilig Agrarian Reform Community (KMDARC) of Balingoan, both from Misamis Oriental to finance each their P3.5-M transport and delivery vehicle.

Further, Pangantucan, Maramag, Kalilangan Farmers’ Dairy Cooperative (PMKFDC) of Pangantucan and PITAC Multipurpose Cooperative (MPC) of Malaybalay City, both from Bukidnon are set to avail P3.5-M for the purchase of a refrigerated van and equipment for the enhancement of their milk processing plant and P5-M for the purchase of a wing van, respectively.

For the FCAs’ part, they have inked the agreement through their respective chairpersons: Romil C. Ravilla (MFARCC), Weny N. Enterina (KMDARC), Rodolfo Belleza (PMKFDC) and Christery May Dinoy (PITAC MPC).

As partners for the said program, all beneficiaries have at least 20 percent counterpart of the total project cost.

Locally funded for the current year, the Kadiwa program is implemented by DA-10 through its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division. (TJTL/melbmadera)